"You're just absolutely right. And I am absolutely wrong. It must be nice to always believe you know better. To always think you're the smartest person in the room."
This captures the endless narcissistic personality of people on Social Media and in several mediums.
The perception and belief of the actual dialogue totally fits on what this character Paul Moore from Broadcast News, played by Peter Hackes. Especially the 2nd line in red.
There are endless/countless people who the most important thing in their life is to feel empowered by feeling like they are right and someone else is wrong. That they are better, bigger, wiser, and SUPERIOR to others.
And online, they do it incessantly to stroke their ego and in many cases, hiding behind the veil of anonymity.
Am I? I suppose at points I am, and I do feel safe doing so in a passive-aggressive manner here and other outlets (even non-published). But it does come down to is it more important to try and air and say my peace so others may learn or at least be aware of it?
Sometimes yes, sometime no. Because if I'm talking to a wall, maybe a long time from now more may find it and benefit from that. But in the short term, it does feel like talking to a wall.
But, regardless of little reach it may have in here, or other spots, I do feel especially in here, it is therapeutic FOR ME no matter what.
So, this was kind of fun/funny to do, of course on of all days, today.
And the subject just crossed my mind, today should be an annual day to listen to that Fair to Midland tune.
But, I've been meaning to write something more about Social Media, specifically YouTube. The etiquette and maybe a few other housekeeping items,
When someone sees your channel or a video you post, especially in the case where they themselves have a channel of their own. They may subscibe and leave comments and like. If they are a YouTuber themselves, they know part of what is beneficial is to comment and like.
But I just know there's plenty of YouTubers and even just people on the different Social Media platforms that do not do this. It's mostly just a 1-WAY STREET.
They want you to watch their videos (or just follow or like their posts on other socials), subscribe, like and comment. But it does seem others like myself have to almost blatantly spell it out to gain their attention to even be aware of my channel or socials. And even if I do that, they may subscribe and maybe they will comment and like (if watch) 1 or 2 videos or for like a week or 2.
And in many cases, they don't even do that.
Unless they see your channel (or Social Media account) as more impressive or bigger and something that if others are giving you attention, than they may as well.
But when you don't have the large numbers of subscribers or followers, they don't necessarily.
That is PLAYING THE FAVORITES.
It's selifish, or lazy, or judgemental, or just kind of passive-agressive.
Social Media and it seems a lot of YouTube should be A GIVE AND TAKE.
I scratch your back, and you scratch mine.
But if you don't have "status" to be appealing enough to them (1000 or even way more subscribers), it really doesn't seem to matter how many times you like, comment and even pass their videos along (and how much detail your comment has), they still don't give a shit enough about YOUR channel to follow-suit.
I mean I will confess, there are people who have subscribed to my channel who I check out their own channel and I don't subscribe. But almost all of those cases, either the content on their channel doesn't appeal to me (and is next to nothing like my content), or their content is very limited anyway.
But I'd say at least 3/4 of the time someone subscribes to me, and I look at their YouTube page and they include something I remotely can relate to or enjoy, I will subscribe.
And I would say I do make an effort to leave them comments on topics I can comment about.
But there are several channels I comment on, or did comment on, pretty detailed and somewhat regularly, who have yet to ever leave even 1 comment on any of my 776 Videos. And even in some cases, the subject matter (mostly music and Prog), they have made videos themselves about. And in at least 1 or 2 examples, I noticed said music (band/album), done after I talked about it.
In other words, they are mooching off my work, my channel, etc, and yet I've never seen them once admit or acknowledge that. It's like it would kill them to do so, because they don't like to admit that a smaller channel actually introduced them to something.
I mean it could be that they just don't like to give credit to other channels. I can only half understand that per the whole idea of "well, if I shout out this channel, well then I have to shout every other channel" chore. And then they'll forget people.
But, that doesn't change the fact they are finding something and telling YouTube about it, and not being fully honest how they found it. Maybe the *how* shouldn't really matter? I just see it as lazy if not practicing being a favorites player.
"You know it wouldn't take a lot for people to help other less successful people easily, but they often don't" -J. Rudess (on "The Great Escape" on KFAI radio in 2002)
You know, and it does extend beyond YouTube. Go back to twitter and 89.3. I was talking about Local Natives and Warpaint long before most there, and yet never even once got any kind of due. It's lame, unfair, and something that I will never consider justified. But its happened and will continue to happen.
I would even say, many channels and Social Media I continue to comment-to or like on, that I guess I don't expect as much from given my feeling about the people. But I'm not certain how long or consistent I will continue to do that just based on the fact they don't reciprocate back to me. Not enough.
It really should be a GIVE and TAKE. But so many people, some I do have closer relationships with and want to help them out as much as I can genuinely, I don't think see using YouTube and Social Media that way.
They don't see it like a Social Contract to be using and trying to promote their own content. They see it as, ok, here's my video or post, please like it and share it, etc. But thanks for doing that, however the thought never crossed my mind to do the same for you who chimed in.
Maybe it's a lack of time? I dunno, but at some point, I have to draw a line and just say, sorry, I can't anymore. I have done that with some. But I also feel like given I'm at 776 Videos. Once I hit 1000 Videos, I may just to do a HIATUS for at least long form videos until I hit 1000 Subscribers.
No exceptions.
Sorry, I've made 1000 videos, I deserve 1000 subscribers. And until that happens, my focus may be other outlets like this and the Substack. I might do Shorts or TikTok as I've mentioned. Or I may do an audio and/or video podcast. Mixcloud, Soundcloud, or just on Substack even. Unsure.
I mean it's 224 videos away, so that is probably over a year, maybe 2. And that may be enough videos and time to finish some of these projects I've done, I dunno.
But at least my feeling is given the lack of GIVE-AND-TAKE and reception/attention/recognition for my YouTube channel, if I put the time and effort into making 1000 fucking videos, I should be able to at least get 1000 subscribers as well. (probably way more actually, but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible).
